This invention relates to a novel method of preparing acids and particularly to the simultaneous preparation of carboxylic and hydroxamic acids from ammonium salts of nitroketones.
Carboxylic acids and hydroxamic acids can be prepared employing such methods as oxidizing the corresponding alcohol and by Grignard synthesis or by reacting a carboxylic acid with hydroxylamine hydrochloride. Many carboxylic acids and hydroxamic acids however were not readily available particularly those containing an odd number of carbon atoms and relatively expensive reactants are required to obtain the same.
A method has now been found whereby a wide range of carboxylic acids and hydroxamic acids can be prepared in high yields. The method provides a mixture of carboxylic acid and hydroxamic acid and the respective acids can be separated one from the other as more fully described below.